SCOUT COMMENTS"We think he could be a point-producer for us, for sure. He's got a great feel of when to go into holes in the offensive zone below the tops of the circles. He finds places to go and get the puck. He has the ability to really beat guys down low with his size and he's a really strong kid. He can score and set up plays and he's pretty solid all-around offensively." — Red Wings scout Mark Leach (June 2010) ... "He's so mature for a kid his age ... He's equally good in all three zones and goes to the front of the net. He's very conscious in the defensive zone and down behind the net in the defensive corner — he makes certain his team isn't outnumbered. In the neutral zone, he makes all kinds of things happen but will get back and turn a transition if needed." — NHL Central Scouting scout Jack Barzee (2010) ... "I don't like to make comparisons with young players. It's not really fair to them. But he does remind me of Johan Franzen. He's got a big, thick body. He's been a big scorer. That's what we project him to be." — Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill (June 2010, MLive.com).

STRENGTHSWent to college with a reputation for being a highly-skilled offensive player ... Showed he could play in any situation and thrive ... Described in The Hockey News by one scout as the "most complete player in the 2010 draft" ... Mature two-way game already ... Outstanding hockey sense in all three zones ... Solid size and strength ... Good stick skills and soft hands ... Capable of beating defenders 1-on-1 ... May have only scratched the surface of his scoring potential ... Has the raw tools to become an impact player at the NCAA level and perhaps beyond ... Drives through traffic and uses his impressive size to protect the puck ... Slightly more of a playmaker than a scorer.

WEAKNESSESDescribed as a character player by his coaches, but he'll need to prove to doubters that an under-age drinking incident in April 2010 was just a hiccup ... Needs to produce more and should be given an opportunity to do so ... Will benefit from continued work on his foot-speed.

Pluses: Um, how does going through an entire week of watching an 18-year-old who’s 6’2,” 200 lbs, has room to grow and lives up to his stickhandling YouTube video sound? Try, “Oh Dear Gord, how the hell did we get our hands on this guy again?” Riley Sheahan is a big, strong, hard-skating, hard-charging forward with ridiculously good hands in terms of playmaking passes, shooting the puck, chasing after it, and deftly dekeing rebounds past goaltenders, etc. He’s not only relatively fast while skating, but also extremely mobile, his shot is very hard and can pick corners, he’s again, a superb playmaking passer, he can bulldoze his way to the net all the way from the blueline or grind the puck out down low, and, perhaps most impressively, he has a mature and nuanced defensive game.

Mostly, however, the 19-year-old was incredibly hard-working, he listened to his coaches intently, said he planned on taking his skill development lessons back to his skating coach and Piet Van Zant’s workout advice back to his personal trainer, and as the media’s belle of the ball, he’d willingly remain stickily stuck in his full uniform for as long as necessary to do interviews. Mostly, it appeared that he wasn’t letting the attention he got go to his head, and if you’re the team’s resident draft pick flavor of the day, that’s a very good thing.

Minuses: Sheahan still has a bit of work to do on his conditioning as he did get pushed around on occasion, and he has yet to find a way to translate his tremendous offensive skills into production at Notre Dame, where he had to play a dedicated defensive role last season. He does have to continue to improve skating and skill-wise to maximize his potential. He also needs to make absolutely sure that he stays out of trouble off the ice as one off-ice “minor in possession” charge is enough, but as Sheahan headed back home to St. Catherines, Ontario last week, several of his teammates were arrested this past weekend for underage drinking, which doesn’t exactly bode well for the program’s leadership. Sheahan struck me as both bright enough and humble enough to understand that wearing the Winged Wheel involves keeping one’s nose clean.

Potential “upside”: The Wings don’t have to sign Sheahan for three more years, and if he continues to develop on and off the ice, we’re talking about an honest-to-goodness power forward of the first order, with 30-goal potential and a fantastic two-way game, but, again, that’s at least three years and a few in the AHL down the line. That being said, it bears mentioning that he played his game like Brendan Smith, Ben Marshall, and Brent Raedeke in terms of pace and urgency throughout the week.

Update: I forgot to mention the most striking comment Sheahan made to me this past week. When I asked him what he was majoring in, he admitted that he was going to stay "undeclared" for as long as possible because he did struggle with the combination of playing college hockey while trying to keep his head above water in terms of schoolwork. I thought that was an incredibly mature and honest comment from a young man who could have ducked the question entirely.

South Bend was a bummer this summer and not just because the Fighting Irish lost Jarred Tinordi to the London Knights. The program was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, including a drinking party that netted nine hockey players in police custody. Earlier in the summer, Sheahan had his own dalliance with the cops and alcohol, but he’s ready to ice any concerns over his future.

“We got all that nonsense out of our system,” Sheahan said. “We’re ready to get the season underway.”

And it will be an interesting one. The Irish lost a lot of senior players over the summer and have a pretty nice recruiting class coming in, including United States League standouts Anders Lee and Steve Summerhays. Known as a stifling defensive squad, the Irish helped hone Sheahan’s responsible side on the ice, but now he wants numbers.

“I’m looking forward to proving the offensive side of my game,” he said. “I’m going to take that responsibility.”

As a first round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, it should be no surprise Sheahan is a multi-dimensional player and with his frame (6-foot-2, 202 pounds already), he’ll be a tough assignment at the next level.

“My size I use as an asset and I have good puck protection down low,” Sheahan said. “I feel safe playing in all three zones and I take pride in being responsible.”

That’s great news for fans in South Bend. Drafted 21st overall by Detroit in 2010.

The Best Of BCHankthaTank- Squirrels, they hate to be thrown. / Why is the magical unicorn named Brian... Jedi - I just downloaded the "kids" book, "Go the F--k to Sleep" as narrated by Samuel L. Jackson on my kindle. I am now ready to be a daddy. / *Checks Router* No, I'm positive I didn't hit the "Wings Defense Sucks" button. Electrophile - I'm just glad the Wings were able to win despite the Curse of Brian. ACallToArms - I think Trey needs to put something about payroll tax and deferred income in his sig... Edicius- I'd rather [have] a soundbite of me saying "I like (man sausage)" rather than "I like Crosby".

Billy Maday took Riley Sheahan's quick pass in front of the net and flicked it in for a short-handed goal at the 11:29 mark of the second period and Notre Dame, which never trailed, took the lead for good, 3-2.

"I was the first one in on the puck," said Sheahan. "And I had some room to carry it. Their defenseman kind of stuck up a little early and I had room to move. Billy got open for the shot. (The defenseman) made a bit of an error and I capitalized on it."

Maday was anticipated a possible pass.

"I saw Riley had a great chance to get an opportunity short-handed," Maday said. "I tried to support him and time it so I could be an option for him. I didn't know he was going to make that move and we would have such a quality scoring chance. But luckily we were able to put it in."

With the Lakers on the power play, defenseman Sean Lorenz dumped the puck into the left wing corner where Sheahan tracked it down. The sophomore center slithered through two Lake Superior defenders before flipping a centering pass in front to a streaking Maday who batted the puck out of the air past Mahoney-Wilson for his first goal of the season.

"I saw Riley (Sheahan) coming out of the corner so I tried to time it to get to the front of the net to give Riley an option on the play. He got it through and I got my stick on it to put it in the net," said Maday.

"I thought Riley (Sheahan) played an extremely good game," said Jackson. "He did a great job on the penalty killing. I thought he played effectively offensively. He made some nice plays. But (his pass for the lead goal) was a great individual play."

Sheahan's tremendous effort in the left corner against two Lakers was the individual highlight of the game.

The move by Sheahan had him looking forward to seeing the replay.

"I'm sort of excited to look at it," Sheahan smiled.

Edited by Konnan511, 18 October 2010 - 06:11 PM.

The Best Of BCHankthaTank- Squirrels, they hate to be thrown. / Why is the magical unicorn named Brian... Jedi - I just downloaded the "kids" book, "Go the F--k to Sleep" as narrated by Samuel L. Jackson on my kindle. I am now ready to be a daddy. / *Checks Router* No, I'm positive I didn't hit the "Wings Defense Sucks" button. Electrophile - I'm just glad the Wings were able to win despite the Curse of Brian. ACallToArms - I think Trey needs to put something about payroll tax and deferred income in his sig... Edicius- I'd rather [have] a soundbite of me saying "I like (man sausage)" rather than "I like Crosby".

The Best Of BCHankthaTank- Squirrels, they hate to be thrown. / Why is the magical unicorn named Brian... Jedi - I just downloaded the "kids" book, "Go the F--k to Sleep" as narrated by Samuel L. Jackson on my kindle. I am now ready to be a daddy. / *Checks Router* No, I'm positive I didn't hit the "Wings Defense Sucks" button. Electrophile - I'm just glad the Wings were able to win despite the Curse of Brian. ACallToArms - I think Trey needs to put something about payroll tax and deferred income in his sig... Edicius- I'd rather [have] a soundbite of me saying "I like (man sausage)" rather than "I like Crosby".

Did not get a point tonight: but the opposing coach said this post game:

“I was very impressed with their goaltender. I thought (Riley Sheahan) played very well. They've got a good club. They definitely worked hard.”

The Best Of BCHankthaTank- Squirrels, they hate to be thrown. / Why is the magical unicorn named Brian... Jedi - I just downloaded the "kids" book, "Go the F--k to Sleep" as narrated by Samuel L. Jackson on my kindle. I am now ready to be a daddy. / *Checks Router* No, I'm positive I didn't hit the "Wings Defense Sucks" button. Electrophile - I'm just glad the Wings were able to win despite the Curse of Brian. ACallToArms - I think Trey needs to put something about payroll tax and deferred income in his sig... Edicius- I'd rather [have] a soundbite of me saying "I like (man sausage)" rather than "I like Crosby".

The Best Of BCHankthaTank- Squirrels, they hate to be thrown. / Why is the magical unicorn named Brian... Jedi - I just downloaded the "kids" book, "Go the F--k to Sleep" as narrated by Samuel L. Jackson on my kindle. I am now ready to be a daddy. / *Checks Router* No, I'm positive I didn't hit the "Wings Defense Sucks" button. Electrophile - I'm just glad the Wings were able to win despite the Curse of Brian. ACallToArms - I think Trey needs to put something about payroll tax and deferred income in his sig... Edicius- I'd rather [have] a soundbite of me saying "I like (man sausage)" rather than "I like Crosby".

Watched the special on TSN about the world junior team and what Bob Mackenzie was saying about the centers had me liking his chances. Canada wants all of their centerman to be big (6'2 204 is pretty big) and very strong defensively. Both of those describe Sheahan to a tee. If he can go to camp and show he has some offense and the only reason he's not producing is the system he's playing in then he should be able to be the 4th line centerman.

He really is a wild carrd because of playing in the NCAA. His production isnt indicative of what he can do against people his own age. He would be the guy to center a shut down line from a pure defensive stand point because he is the best defensive center invited to camp

Watched the special on TSN about the world junior team and what Bob Mackenzie was saying about the centers had me liking his chances. Canada wants all of their centerman to be big (6'2 204 is pretty big) and very strong defensively. Both of those describe Sheahan to a tee. If he can go to camp and show he has some offense and the only reason he's not producing is the system he's playing in then he should be able to be the 4th line centerman.

He really is a wild carrd because of playing in the NCAA. His production isnt indicative of what he can do against people his own age. He would be the guy to center a shut down line from a pure defensive stand point because he is the best defensive center invited to camp

Yeah I think this camp will show what he can do a bit better. Playing in the NCAA he plays older more mature players but if he comes to this camp and shows he can produce against players his age then I think he will be on the team.

Bob mackenzie tweeted yesterday saying depending on what team Canada wants if they want a high offense center there is Nugent Hopkins (which I dont really buy, he hasn't been scoring much at all) and then he said if you want a big, strong defensive center take Riley Sheahan.